


150 Pictures of Us

by TheGalaxianPersona



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M, Modern AU, Only one of em., Pictures, nerds, well...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 04:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18792769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGalaxianPersona/pseuds/TheGalaxianPersona
Summary: Some relationships have bad motives. Ricken ponders about it as his relationship with Lissa was going strong. Maybe it's because of the selfies? The pictures? The free publicity that she's getting as they were more than best friends?He has only one way to find out, however.Asking her about their relationship as a whole.





	150 Pictures of Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TRCelyne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TRCelyne/gifts).



“Okay is this good?” Ricken angled the phone.

Lissa observed the phone screen as she had her cheek against his. “Hmmm… Angle it a little to the left.”

Following Lissa’s orders, Ricken shifted his phone. “Okay… this?”

“There!”

_ Snap! _

The summer afternoon had a sense of good weather for the two as the surrounding nature of the Ylisse National Park looked vibrant and alive, and it showed nicely on the photo. Of course, it was not the natural landscape that highlighted the photo, but it was the two teens that took their picture together. The significance of the photo was similar to the other hundred selfies that they took together before.

It highlighted their affection and lasting commitment together, and it was a feat that not other teens would do at their age.

Ricken, however, also thought of a negative about their selfies as it acts as a sort of PR for Lissa, and that it just gave her the attention and the relevancy of a royal princess.

Sure, they went to the same school together, and yes, they shared the same classes in STEM, but the selfies… he couldn’t help but think if this whole relationship was a sort of a fame booster, because not a lot of people talked about Lissa before she befriended Ricken.

And the public, especially their schoolmates, scoffed at the idea of the royal princess of Ylisse. The royal princess! Fell in love with the chemistry and computer wizard nobody who is covered in all sorts of freckles and blemishes.

Well… He was about to find out soon as Lissa brought up the gallery in her phone and checked the amount of selfies they have together.

150.

“So Ricken… We reached a hundred and fifty selfies that are significant and meaningful.” Snuggled into his arms, Lissa looked into Ricken’s soft orange eyes as she continued, “What was it that you worried about 4 months ago?”

==4 Months Ago, Final Semester - Mid Term=

It’s been 2 months since their relationship started, and the entirety of the Twitter sandstorm about their relationship still persists within the trending tab. It was getting to him, and Ricken wanted to tell her soon.

He grew anxious. He grew nervous. Up to the point that Lissa noticed on one of their study dates within the living room of the royal palace and  _ holy crap it is a big living room,  _ Ricken thought. The snow fell outside as winter’s embrace held around the air for quite a while now that both the heater and the fireplace were there to emit heat for the entire living room. 

“Hey. Is this chemical formula balanced or…?” She showed her paper to see him not taking notes as he was thinking deeply on something else while biting the opposite end of his pen.

She eyed on him as she snickered, “I hope you would save some of that pen for writing.”

Ricken blinked as he took the pen away to his lap and looked at her with a neutral face, “Wha-?”

The air became awkward between them, or at least… that is what Ricken felt. Ricken cleared his throat as he looked at the paper, “Oh… Yeah. The formula… uhm…”Ricken trailed off to mumble his mental calculations upon analyzing her solution.

Lissa adored the boy while he looked at the paper that she took video of the him as he looked at her solutions.

“Yeah… it looks good-” His eyes lifted up to see her recording him. He stared at the camera and sighed, “...Really.”

“What?” asked Lissa, stopping the recording. “I just found you cute, that’s all.”

The teen pursed his lips as he slouched to the couch in exhaustion, “Well you see me everyday.”

“Maybe I like capturing memories.”

Ricken felt a slight contradiction on that statement as he looked straight and kept quiet on her answer.

And Lissa knew Ricken well. She knew him well that he was thinking something.

“What?” Lissa asked in a concerned tone.

“What?”

“What… What’s going on?” she scooched closer to Ricken. “You were… how can I say this… You used to be okay about having a picture with me, but now… Every time you see me take a selfie with you, or even take a picture with you or record you, you kind of shy away from the camera. Is there something wrong?”

The boy shrugged his shoulders and raised in hands as he responded, “Well… Where should I start?”

The princess lowered her phone. “The thing that’s bothering you. Tell me. Is it because, I take too much pictures? Or is it because I’ve been too obsessed on my phone or something?”

Ricken sighed as he looked at her eyes and held her free hand, “Well… The picturing bit is kind of a grey area, but that’s not what I’m having a problem of.”

“So…” Lissa scooched closer. “What’s the problem about my pictures?”

The air between them was growing cold for him as it was about time to say the troubles in his heart. Ricken felt a cold sense in his chest from a little fear, and it doubled with the cold weather outside. He feared that his confession would be quite a stir up of thoughts of their relationship as whole; that whether or not their relationship was just a means for Lissa to gain some few seconds of screen time or if it was a genuine one. Ricken could picture the argument. Lissa would feel disgusted on how he doubted their bond, and he’d defend himself that he was asking if their relationship was just for her to get some headlines or attention, and their relationship would spiral down soon to the point where Ricken is back at it again to being single.

Yeah… Ricken did not want that to happen. He means well since his concerns would be confirmed with a single question, but the fear of spiraling down in some sort of miscommunication is quite cold and troublesome for the boy in question.

And not to mention they were studying for their midterms that will happen in few weeks time.

“Well?” Her eyes narrowed. Lissa was not being amused at this point.

Ricken bit his lip, “I… I can’t say it… yet.”

The girl huffed, “... Well I can’t blame you if it’s something about the pictures, but I’ll do my best to avoid taking a lot of selfies, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Well... what, Ricken? It’s just pictures. What’s going on, anyway?”

Ricken needed some time, and it has to be enough that when it comes, they were free from all the troubles from school. It was then that he thought of something.

He hummed, “You want to know why?”

Lissa nodded.

“Well… Lemme look at your gallery first?”

The teen grabbed her phone and showed him the gallery. It’s when Ricken looked at the album “Ricken and Me <3” and the count of pictures and videos at the right most part of the album.

81.

Ricken spoke up as he pointed at the number, “If we reach… 150 on that album, then I’ll tell you what’s bothering me.”

This earned a whine from Lissa, “Come onnnnnnnnnnnn! I thought you will tell me about what’s wrong! You promised like… it’s part of the couple’s rulebook or something!”

He scoffed, “Look… Just give me time to process the words. Besides, it’s best if we just worry about midterms right now.”

The girl grabbed her phone and activated the camera app in it, “We’ll get to the 150 count soon enough!”

Ricken’s finger and thumb pinched her phone, covering the front camera in the process, and yanked it from her hands, “One rule… The photos must have a significant event between you and me.”

Lissa whined, “What does that supposed to mean?!”

He chuckled, “You’ll see what I mean, Liz. Now, come on. We got Algebra to study next.”

_ Algebra… yuck.  _ She sighed at the mention of the word. “I swear, Ricken. If you make me try to understand what your equation means, I’m not giving you hot chocolate.”

The boy smiled, “Oh? Well, at least I know something better.”

She gave him a teasing smirk as she got closer to him, “Oh? Then tell me first before I let you get it.”

Ricken got closer. “I’m not telling until I say so.”

Closer… 

“Tch… You’re testing my patience…”

Closer...

“Well, YOU’RE testing my patience…”

“How about you two go to the bedroom, Lissa? No one wants to see you two in such sudden fashion.”

The voice prompted the distance between the two teens. Lissa furrowed her brows to the man that interrupted their-  _ study. _

===

Indeed, Ricken remembered that day. The promise of his thoughts after their album count reached 150, and each of those pictures held a certain meaning to them. Ricken checked it. He had to be there to verify whether or not it was valuable.

“So… Mister mysterious genius.”

“You really wanted that to rhyme.”

She scoffed, “As if. I am just waiting for you to spill the beans now that I got the count.”

The time to confess was optimal. No school. No works. No sneaky siblings approaching them as they discuss romantic matters.

It was just the two of them.

Ricken breathed in and out slowly as he knows it was going to be a heavy conversation.

“Lissa.” He started. “Do you ever think of… what people think of us?”

“Hold up… I thought you’re going to confess something. Not ask questions.”

“Just please… I’m getting to that.” The boy interlaced his hands with hers, “Bear with me… It’ll lead up to my concern.”

Lissa had a small smile on her lips. She adored how Ricken could talk like an adult, despite his size and age. “Alright. To answer your question…” Her grip on his hand got firm, “I don’t. What makes you think that?”

As Lissa was answering his question, Ricken pulled out his phone that had Lissa’s Instagram on. “Well… I’ve noticed a lot of people kept talking about you. Like… I tried, okay? I tried to get it over my head, but I can’t help it but feel… used just for a little spotlight.”

Her eyes lit up with a hint of concern as she spoke, “I made you feel that way…?”

Ricken nodded as he broke his lingering stare from Lissa, “Well… I did not want you to feel selfish. You had an awesome time sharing what we’ve been doing that… I dunno. I just felt kind of used just for the fame.”

Her heart felt heavy. It felt guilt as it pounded against her consciousness that she did not notice that sooner.

“I see…” Lissa pursed her lips. “I have not thought of that… I’m sorry…”

The boy looked at her sapphire eyes, “It’s not your fault… In fact, I’ve been feeling better knowing that we’ve been together for this long. I just don’t know if I can hold it together…”

Then it snapped. The blonde princess had her eyes glow with a passion to reaffirm his heart. It was glad to say that her gallery was full of meaningful pictures, to say the most.

“Hey Ricken? Can I show you something?” Asked Lissa as she pulled out her phone and opened up the album.

Ricken looked at the first picture she put in display. On the screen, the picture showed a sunny day, with the street and bus stop that is familiar to him. He, then, knew that it was a photo of the street he goes to wait for the bus. But he was confused.  _ Why is she showing this? _

“Is this… Something important? That’s just where I wait for the bus.” Ricken pointed out.

“Well yeah, but that’s also where I first met you.” She moved closer, “You were listening to a rock band if I remember the faint sound coming in from those headphones of yours. I think… The lyrics go like, ‘ _ All I want is a place where I call home’... _ ”

Ricken sung the next part, “To mend the hearts of everyone who feels alone.”

“Whooaaaa…”

“You know to keep your hopes up high and your head down low.” And with a snicker, Ricken said, “Yeah I… Remember. It’s A Day to Remember.”

Lissa blinked, “... Are you referring to the band or the first day we met?”

The boy processed his thoughts as he realized,  _ Oh yeah… ADTR is the band name.  _ “I think… both would suffice.”

“Okay. Next.” She swiped next to a photo of Ricken, in his school uniform, sleeping on the park bench as he was holding a notebook.

“How am I supposed to remember this? I was barely awake then.”

“Oh? Then you don’t remember about the First midterms? You said that you didn’t study about history last night because-”

Ricken snapped as he knew what she meant, “I was playing an important match! It could have gotten my team into the Collegiate League!”

Lissa backfired, “Well you won’t go to the collegiate league if you flunked history on your midterm, would you?”

The boy sighed. She was right, after all. The Collegiate League of Legends only accepts students that balance study and play with an above average grade and no failing mark within the year, and Ricken knew that he had to do something about his history midterm.

The blonde giggled, “You look cute in your sleep, y’know? And this was before you confessed to me and all… How brave have you become.”

“Hey!”

“What? Just teasing you.” Lissa smiled. “Besides, I find it cool that you work hard on both ends, even if that whole League thing did not end well…”

“Well… It didn’t. But at least I get to focus more, y’know?”

The mood was getting a bit brighter. Lissa could feel it. She needed it to be more brighter, so she brought up the next picture.

Ricken noticed that it was him, bruised up all over his face and asleep. “Hmm…? Isn’t this-”

Lissa answered, “You. But you were asleep in the nurse’s office. You got a hefty beating when a guy just kept bickering to me with silly advances…”

“Oh? That guy…” The auburn boy growled in silent as he remembered the look of the perpetrator’s face. “Still didn’t see him after that. I didn’t even bother to ask or even know at all.”

“He got expelled.” She explained. “Apparently he was on a probation period, and it served him right. But I didn’t think you’d cut in.”

“Maybe I just couldn’t stand someone trying to take you when you obviously said no… Sure he could be like, the most influential guy, but his egotistic attitude… Gods I really wished I could beat him up.”

“An egotistical quarterback against my dear computer nerd here?” Lissa snickered,  “You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“I’d try it for you.”

“That’s what you said on the nurse’s office.”

Next photo.

And it took Ricken a second look to recognize what was on the photo. “The letter…”

“A confession letter,” Lissa smiled. “You obviously couldn’t keep it in wraps, and you can’t talk to me in person, so you wrote me a letter.”

The boy sighed, “My handwriting was not the best, if I remember correctly.”

“I’d prefer seeing your handwriting, if that makes you a bit comfortable. It just shows your effort to try to condense your heart to something… Concrete.”

“I guess you can say that…”

Then Lissa thought,  _ This will be the last photo.  _ She showed the next picture, and Ricken took time before he knew what he was looking at.

Their project together at basic program editing was in display on a monitor, with Lissa and Ricken smilng at the camera while they were close to each other.

“Our project…” Ricken muttered.

“Mostly yours. I barely worked on the rest of the coding. The design was all mine.”

He glared at her, “Well I wouldn’t say that. Even I will admit that I needed a designer for all of my coding, or else it would look like some… Drawing that you’d stick it on the fridge.”

“You don’t talk about my drawing. I was 5 back then!”

Ricken felt lighter as if something that was troubling him was gone, and the laughter that they shared together only brought his feeling a little higher. No longer did he feel like fame was the core reason of their relationship. It was now growing out of his thoughts.

He smiled and sighed in relief, and Lissa noticed a change of weather in his mood.

She was about to ask if he was feeling okay, but Ricken got ahead of her as he said, “...Sorry for doubting you. I was just… Kinda iffy on this whole thing.”

“You have every right to doubt, RIcken. But just so you know, I will be here to try and clear up any doubt you have in the back of your head. Just… Don’t keep it pent up for months, please? It just makes me worry even more.”

Ricken chuckled, “Promise.”

“And Ricken… If you want me to spell it out for you, I did not get together with you because of some famous hashtag moment or something like that.”

He held her closer. “Yeah… I figured that one out.”

The doubt was gone. The worry was non-existent.

What remained was the two of them, in the park, together alone.

Ricken sighed, “It worked…”

Lissa looked at him with a confused look, prompting him to answer the question of  _ what worked, exactly? _

“Well…” Ricken trailed off as he thought of the words to say. “I didn’t know that some reverse psychology would work.”

Lissa scoffed. “That’s not reverse psychology!”

“It felt like it…” He pouted, “I felt so bad, and you had the obligation to just prove me wrong.”

“You asked!”

“And gladly enough you got the pictures with you to back our relationship up!” He raised both of his hands, awaiting a rebuttal from Lissa.

She stuttered, “I… Well you said I have to get to a hundred and fifty!”

“Yes I did.”

“I had to get the pics to a hundred and fifty just to let you spill the beans.”

“Wow. I… Just wow. You really are just denying the fact I just did some reverse psychology.”

“Well… I’m no psych major, but I know for a fact that is not reverse psychology.”

Ricken sighed, “Fine. You go ahead and say it all you want. I still think I just did some reverse psychology.”

Knowing it’s just a waste of time, Lissa scoffed as she let herself comfortable by Ricken’s shoulder, “Fine…”

…

“Hey, Lissa?”

“Hm?”

“Remember when I was about to kiss you at your place?”

“Yeah… Sorry about my brother…”

“... How about we… Take the advantage today?”

“Hmm… I don’t know…”

“Oh? Is this the  _ rebel princess  _ I’m hearing from you? Or did your sister Emm talk you down?” He traced quotation marks as he looked at her with a smirk.

Her tongue ticked, “You really are picking on me on that?”

“Well you wanted it first. Prove me that you are this rebel princess that you speak of.”

The princess pouted as she knows what he was doing.  _ And by Naga’s grace, I love him for that.  _ “Hm… Now that’s reverse psychology.”

Ricken closed in with a smile on his lips, “Maybe I should do more of that…”

“Just shush, Ricken…”

**Author's Note:**

> Meanwhile in the bushes:
> 
> Chrom: *peeks out* Well... They have been going at it for some time now...  
> Robyn: Dear, You better give your sister a little bit of space. This is Ricken we're talking about. I've seen him how he is with Lissa. I got to say. He's a gentleman like you.  
> Chrom: Hm? Really?  
> Robyn: Yes, really. He's been kind at stealing kisses. Like how you stole a kiss from me while I was studying for Biology.  
> Chrom: ... Don't bring that up, please.  
> Robyn: I kinda remember that Lissa was there just squealing in delight... And that she opted us to go to your room while your older sister comes home.  
> Chrom: ...  
> Robyn: So let the two enjoy their intimate company. I heard from her that you just butted in months ago.  
> Chrom: *sighs* You're right. We should just go.  
> Robyn: Or... We could just stay here. It may be a cramped spot but I do like being at closed off spaces with you.  
> Chrom: ... I thought you got some reviewing to do-  
> Robyn: Honey. You know me well already. I can ace social studies easily.  
> Chrom: ... Okay.


End file.
